Lifeblood
by Russetwolf1618
Summary: Mild Xover with BtVS - The spirit guides interrupt Jim's dream to deliver a warning about Sunnydale


Disclaimer : Not mine! The characters of Blair and Jim belong to Pet Fly et al. The characters of Willow and Giles belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Ditto for the concepts and backgrounds of each show. Again, not mine. Just playing.  
  
Note: Originally written for Dues on SentinelAngst.  
  
Feedback: Always appreciated.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
To: WiccanDuo@UCS.edu.org  
  
From: bsandburg@cpd.net  
  
Re: Shaman studies  
  
I recently saw some information on your website that cited the volume WC Demonology and Human Response. I thought this reference book wasn't supposed to exist outside the Vatican library, and definitely wasn't available except by Papal decree or some such order. Man, I am SO excited! I have to know: Do you have access to this book? If so, I would love to make arrangements to see it as I believe there might be some information in it that may be pertinent to my Shamanic studies.  
  
Please let me know if you can help me. Thanks in advance,  
  
Blair Sandburg  
  
  
  
To: bsandburg@cpd.net  
  
From: WiccanDuo@UCS.edu.org  
  
Re: your e-mail attached  
  
Dear Blair,  
  
Really? I didn't know the book was only in the Vatican! Boy, you should have seen Giles' face when I told him about your e-mail, I didn't know he could turn that color of mad. He made me take down all my reference citations, mumbling something about irresponsible dissemination of esoteric lore to the uninformed. I think he was afraid the priest police were going to come get me or something. Anyway…I checked you out (hope you don't mind) and Giles is slightly less cranky with me now. Seems he's familiar with some articles you published. And he said your Master's thesis was quite intriguing. You'll have to tell me sometime what it's about; I'm dying to know what that look on his face meant. G  
  
Giles says you can come visit and study the book if you'd like. Feel honored, he doesn't let just anyone look at his library. BTW, due to certain…bad elements…in our town, he's invited you to stay at his place while you're here. Take him up on it, you really don't want to stay at the Sunnydale Motor Lodge, trust me!  
  
Willow  
  
P.S. Oops, almost forgot! That's Rupert Giles, ph#908-555-1056.  
  
P.P.S. Oh, and we're in Sunnydale, California. You're in Cascade, Washington, right? So we're not too far apart…  
  
******************************  
  
"Sandburg, I'm going with you, and that's final!"  
  
Blair bounced up the stairs behind Jim Ellison, mumbling under his breath about overprotective Sentinels and their proclivity toward ruining other people's fun.  
  
"Man, I'm going to do research for a few days. You know, an activity that involves sitting in a chair, reading, taking notes, massive injections of caffeine…and NO DANGER!" Blair stood back as Jim let them into the loft, then stripped off his jacket and hooked it haphazardly on the coat rack, tossing his backpack down on the floor in the same general vicinity.  
  
Jim cuffed his partner gently across the back of his head, then shrugged off his coat and hung it up neatly, rolling his eyes as he rescued Blair's slipping jacket. Leaning down, he snagged the pack and tucked it away. No need to invite disaster to innocent passing feet.  
  
"Chief, I know you. There's no such place in the world. Danger follows you around like stink on a skunk."  
  
"Oh, come on, Jim. Library, books, California sunshine. This is my dream vacation. Imagine, I'll be *warm*." The lust in Blair's voice was almost visible. "Warm, man. And *dry*. Did I mention *dry*? I haven't been warm and dry since…when was the last time?"  
  
Nodding significantly toward the misty rain visible through the balcony windows, Blair slipped out of his shoulder holster and handed it to Jim before he headed for the refrigerator to start dinner.  
  
Jim unclipped his gun from the back of his pants and tossed it into the drawer, Blair's pistol and shoulder holster joining it a moment later. Sauntering over to the calendar, Jim flipped through the pages casually. "Sorry, Sandburg, this calendar only goes back twelve months. Can't help you. And I am going."  
  
Blair sighed as he began setting food on the counter. "Okay, okay. But I get dibs on the bed. You'll have to take the couch. Mr. Giles said it folds out into a double."  
  
"Son of a…you knew all along I'd insist on coming!"  
  
"Of course, Jim. I really did enjoy listening to you talk me into it, though."  
  
******************************  
  
Jim tossed restlessly, sheets tangling around his sweat-slick body. The blue haze of his dreamworld couldn't disguise the bright red river of blood flowing sluggishly across the rough ground toward him. As he stared in sick fascination at the coppery stream, he felt himself slip toward the gray blankness of a zone, something that had never happened to his sleeping mind.  
  
The scream of his panther snapped him back into focus, and he tore his eyes away from the blood to find his spirit guide pacing back and forth near a stand of trees at the beginning of the obscene trickle of blood. Jim followed the sinuous black form, jogging carefully through the uneven tangle of undergrowth. His stomach twisted into a ball of fear as his sense of unease grew. He ran faster and faster, trying to catch the black flashes of tail, of fur, of golden eyes shining through the bluish darkness.  
  
Slowly, he realized he was no longer running, his breath harsh in his ears as even the blue light faded, leaving him in a still, silent world of darkness. Nothing but the sound of his lungs existed, even the air couldn't be felt against the bareness of his naked torso. Alone, so alone…this must be what hell is like, he thought frantically. He spun, straining to see, to smell, to feel anything in the oppressive cloak of endless night.  
  
Finally, his foot caught on something, and he looked down, screaming as his world flared into horrifying blood-tinged light.  
  
At his feet lay Blair, blue eyes filmed over, staring sightlessly above the bloody ruin of his ripped-out throat, arms still clasped protectively around a leather-bound book.  
  
A hyena circled behind the motionless body of the gray wolf lying under Blair -*was* Blair!-, gore dripping from his muzzle, snapping and growling at the golden lioness holding him back from his kill. The panther screamed in agony.  
  
"Noooooo….!"  
  
Jim jerked awake, rolling out of bed and running down the stairs in an instinctive rush to his Guide. Jumping the final 4 stairs, he flung open the door to Blair's room.  
  
"Ow!" The crack of a door hitting Blair's head snapped him out of his panic, and Jim looked down to see Sandburg sitting on the floor with a good- sized lump already appearing on his forehead. "Jim, what the hell is up with you, man? I was just on my way to wake you up, you were screaming in your sleep."  
  
Adrenaline rush fading, Jim slid down the door jamb and collapsed next to Blair with a shudder. "Blair, there is no way in hell we're going anywhere near Sunnydale, California. Not now, not ever."  
  
******************************  
  
To: bsandburg@cpd.net  
  
From: WiccanDuo@UCS.edu.org  
  
Re: your last e-mail  
  
Blair,  
  
I'm sorry to hear you won't be able to make the trip to Sunnydale. I looked through the book for you, and have attached the pages I think you'd be interested in.  
  
No, I didn't laugh when you wrote why you weren't coming. I have a friend who's had some experience with dreams coming true. I thought the imagery you described was really cool, I'm pretty sure I know who the lioness is, and the hyena…well, let's just say there's a lot of hyena types in our town. Don't worry, the lioness can handle the situation.  
  
Stay in touch and let me know if there's anything I can help with. I live for research! LOL,  
  
Willow 


End file.
